MILESTONE CELEBRATION! We're so excited to share our tenth episode with you. We share what listeners are reading across THE WORLD, we talk about our buddy reads and announce our next buddy reads, and get deep into all the books we've been reading lately. Alex confesses to being a hypocrite when it comes to DNF'ing a book, and Karla enlightens us on croisssant lamps (pun intended).

Books discussed: Cinnamon Bun Book Shop, by Laurie Gilmore

Same As It Ever Was, by Claire Lombardo

Incidents Around the House, by Josh Malerman

The Grace Year, by Kim Liggett

We Used to Live Here, by Marcus Kliewer

Last Summer at the Golden Hotel, by Elyssa Friedland

Ask for Andrea, by Noelle West Ihli What others are reading:

• Apprentice to the Villain
• Iron Gold (Red Rising series), by Pierce Brown
• Real-time read of Discovery of Witches
• The Sicilian Inheritance
• Mad Honey
• Until you Found Me
• Liar's Beach
• The Sundown Motel
• Oracle
• You are Here
• It Ends with Us
• Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess
• The Hobbit
• Page Boy

Editing credit: Kelly Shook Music credit: Sunset Dream by Cheel

In this episode we try to charm you, the listener, to listen to us more. We talk about DNFs and a book that was bad but we got a term we love out of it. Alex discusses The Will of the Many, a 5 star book and Karla does a PSA. We get into a sensitive subject while chatting about Gone with the Wind after talking about miscommunications and sticking with books that aren't enjoyable. Alex is thwarted in her attempt to read the follow up of House in the Cerulean Sea and we have a callback to a podcast favorite: The Assistant to the Villain.

Books discussed or mentioned:

The Will of the Many by James Islington

The Wedding Engagement by Zoe Allison

Same as it Ever Was by Claire Lombardo

Nuclear War by Annie Jacobson

Mountains Made of Glass by Scarlett St. Clair

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

Diavola by Jennifer Thorne

Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune

Editing Credit: Kelly Shook

Music Credit: Good Times by Patrick Patrikios

Welcome to Episode 8! We covered lots of ground in this episode: we shared what followers/listeners are reading, talked about our buddy read books and announced new buddy reads. In sharing what we've been reading, we discuss eucalyptus obsessions, serial killers, states vs. U.S. territories, revolutions, not trusting handsome men, and ponder the purpose of life and whether we all have a higher purpose. This episode is a wild and glorious ride! Books discussed or mentioned:

• Olga Dies Dreaming, by Xochitl Gonzalez
• The Dutch House, by Ann Patchett
• The Lost Bookshop, by Evie Woods
• The Perfect Son, by Frieda McFadden
• Defending Jacob, by William Landay
• The Lost Apothecary, by Sarah Penner
• Ask for Andrea, by Noelle West Ihli
• The Boy In the Iron Box short stories, by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan
• Magic Hour, by Kristen Hannah

Editing Credit: Kelly Shook

Music Credit: Apollo by Patrick Patrikios

Contains Amazon Affiliate links.

It's here: our ACOTAR special featuring our first podcast guest: Andee! Alex starts with a wrap up from Christa Comes Out of Her Shell, and then we dive into all things ACOTAR. Major spoiler alerts: we discuss all five books and hold nothing back, so if you haven't read the books, come back to this episode after you have. Some things we cover: Team Nesta or Team Feyra? Is your choice based on your form of trauma response? Team House of Wind or Townhouse? Cassian's wingspan, the patriarchy, and what women want in a book boyfriend We discuss mating bonds and the relationship futures of Az, Elaine, Tamlin, and Lucien Also: sex in the sky and having a bat baby
Editing Credit: Kelly Shook

Music Credit: Summer Somewhere In Cuba by Cumbia Deli

In this episode, we announce our BUDDY READS! Read along with us before we discuss on Episode 8 (Episode 7 will be an ACOTAR special!). Karla will be reading Ask for Andrea by Noelle West Ihli, and Alex will be reading The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner. We both share what we've been reading, we dive into cultural identity, hidden dead bodies in barrels, medical advances that rely on shady ethics, feeling overwhelmed by TBRs, and a few other golden nuggets. Alex also explains why she says "ding, ding, ding" too much.

Karla goes on a tangent and talks about the Planet of the Apes movies from 2011 onward. Books discussed: -Textbook Romance, by Kristen Bailey (advanced reader copy, publication date is July 29, 2024) -Coming Home to Tuppeny Bridge, by Sharon Booth -Olga Dies Dreaming, by Xochitl Gonzalez -Handling the Undead, by John Ajvide Lindqvist -Broken Bayou, by Jennifer Moorhead -Once Upon a Broken Heart, by Stephanie Garber -The Ballad of Never After, by Stephanie Garber

Editing credit: Kelly Shook

Music credit: Summer Somewhere In Cuba by Cumbia Deli

We share some reads from fellow readers, get pretty deep into dad talks, decided that Alex needs a reading hype person (let us know if you're the one!), and talk about the following books: • The Lost Bookshop, by Evie Woods • Just for the Summer, by Abby Jimenez • Once Upon a Broken Heart, by Stephanie Garber • The Ballad of Never After, by Stephanie Garber • Christa Comes Out of Her Shell, by Abbi Waxman • Coming Home to Tuppeny Bridge, by Sharon Booth

Other books that were discussed briefly or in passing: • Beartown series, by Fredrik Backman • A Short Walk through a Wide World, by Douglas Westerbeke • Eighty Days, by Matthew Goodman (about Nellie Bly) • The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot • The Underground Railroad, by Colson Whitehead • Small Great Things, by Jodi Picoult • Midnight at the Blackbird Café, by Heather Webber Editing credit: Kelly Shook Music credit: Apollo by Patrick Patrikios

Alex talks about reading the Paradise Problem in a tropical paradise, as well as a couple other reads. Karla fills us in on her ACOTAR journey, and reading about someone sleeping too much. Books discussed: The Dutch House by Ann Patchett The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren I was told it would get easier by Abbi Waxman ACOTAR by Sarah J Maas Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh My Lobotomy by Howard Dully and Charles Fleming Tom Lake by Ann Patchett The Celebrants by Steven Rowley

Editing Credit: Kelly Shook

Music Credit: Brisket Taco

In this episode, we dive deep into The Perfect Marriage and ACOTAR books. Alex gives spoilers for Jenny James is Not a Disaster and we talk about packing it up & just vamoosing (or not vamoosing in both our cases).

Correction: Berry Pickers is by Amanda Peters, the other Ann Patchett book Alex read was Tom Lake.

Books discussed:

• The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose
• Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
• A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J Maas
• Jenny James is not a Disaster by Debbie Johnson
• The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren
• Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
• Dutch House by Ann Patchett
• You Dreamed of Empires by Alvaro Enrique